Disclaimer: I do not own Star Trek or M*A*S*H. I certainly am not making
any money by writing this story.
Author's note: This story ignores the relationship between Seven and Chakotay in the last episode of Voyager. Also, I began writing this before Homecoming and its sequel were published.
---------
Chakotay walks briskly down the corridor. Seven of Nine page puzzles him greatly. She had said, "You'll have to see it to believe it." As much as Seven had come to fit in with the crew that phrase was seriously out of place. Seven was always straightforward with her information.
"Okay Seven, What's the big mystery?" Chakotay asks as he enters the astrometrics lab.
"Voyager appears to have fallen through a funnel," Seven states quite seriously.
Chakotay looks up at the screen, "What?"
Seven continues, rotating the picture so it can be seen at various angles, "It is composed of energy, but we haven't been able to determine its source,"
"Or why its shaped like a kitchen item," Mr. Harren adds.
------------
Colonel Potter is holding the clipboard from one of the patient's beds in post-op. The patient has a fever so he tells the nurse to start him on penicillin. Potter is exhausted. Yesterday was a bad day and today wasn't much better. He really didn't want the trouble of four extra people in his camp, but the help was always welcome. Potter sits down in his chair and starts to play with his pencil. He hopes that they are finding their way around camp all right and are making friends. He had seen the looks on their faces when they had come into camp. It was obvious they thought the 4077th was nuts. The Colonel could only hope that they would give his people a chance to prove themselves.
-----------------
Charles wakes with a start realizing that he isn't trapped in a giant shower. He shakes the sleep from himself and stands up stretching. He puts on his robe, grabs a newspaper, and heads for the latrines.
Charles is almost there when he runs into Klinger. Charles sighs and wonders what he's in for this time. Klinger's head is covered in tin foil with little antennas sticking out.
Klinger runs into Charles yelling, "Hide me! They're after me."
Charles is very annoyed and makes the mistake of replying, "What are you talking about Klinger?"
"The aliens are after me. They made me put this hat on so I could hear them better," Klinger goes off mumbling in his invented language.
Charles continues on his way reminding himself to tell Potter about Klinger's newest act if he didn't know about it already. Those poor new people are in for the shock of their lives.
---------------
Tuvok was beginning to wonder how the human race survived this war. It seemed to be run by eighteen-year-old kids on the phone. The one he was helping had an odd ability to predict what you needed before you needed it. The people who came in and out of the office all day never even seemed to notice being handed objects before they asked for them. Tuvok hadn't been able to gather any information other than the local jargon. The forms he filled out and filed were for food and supplies, but nothing that Tuvok determined was useful. Corp. O'Reilly had not stopped for lunch and Tuvok wanted a discrete excuse to learn more of the lay out of the camp.
"Corporal is it not past time for the midday meal."
Radar looks up shocked, "You're actually asking to eat the food? What are you nuts? I thought I was the only one who ate it."
"I merely find nourishment necessary."
"There's nothing nourishing about it, but let's go."
----------------
Hawkeye liked these new people. They had a different air about them than most of the people he had met over here. He had watched them laughing and smiling at what everyone said. They seemed to promote a sense of family. He wondered what they had seen state side. They didn't look like people that had seen what war does first hand, but they had that look that life had dealt them something hard. Kathryn or Colonel, he wasn't quite sure how to think of her. She was part of the group, but seemed to let her command separate her from everyone else. Her companions never referred to her at all. He smiles at her curious as to whether there's more to her than meets the eye.
The Captain had noticed Hawkeye smiling at her and returns the smile. He was nice looking and kind, but was born in the wrong time. She was curious as to what he had been like before the war. She didn't want to know what caused him to down drinks and had created large worry on lines on his face. She takes a swallow of her drink and tries to hide her grimace. She never understood why anyone would want to drink real alcohol. It smelt terrible. She was beginning to feel guilty for enjoying herself while the rest of her crew was working so hard, but there wasn't anything she could do. The detectors Tuvok had installed were doing most of the work so all they could do was wait and hope the alarm hidden in her watch never went off.
It was late afternoon by now and everyone in camp was feeling the lull. They had wandered into the officers club just to have something to do. Someone had started a song on the jute box.
Margaret smiles and asks, "Which one of you guys wants to show off you dancing skills?"
Tom declines thinking of the wrath of B'Elanna. B.J. offers, but Margaret mumbles something about stepping on her feet. The Doctor volunteers to be her partner. Margaret looks a little hesitant, but decides why not. They head out onto the dance floor with the other couples. Hysterics follow as the Doctor tries to adapt to the time's dancing style.
The Captain gets up and takes a seat at the bar by Hawkeye.
"I never realized he could dance," says the Captain.
"You call that dancing," laughs Hawkeye, "I think Margaret's going to slug him if he doesn't knock her over first.
"Maybe I should go rescue him."
"Nay, where's the fun in that?" Hawkeye shrugs and flashes one of his big smiles at the Captain.
That song ends and someone punches a slow song in.
The Captain still laughing grabs Hawkeye's hand and drags him out onto the dance floor. Awkwardly they put their arms around each other to dance, but as the song goes on they relax and the Captain's head finds its way onto his shoulder.
Charles had come to the officer club for a cognac, but spots Margaret and the Doctor dancing together. This bothered him for some reason so he decides to cut in. Margaret is very relived to be dancing with someone else. The Doctor may not have stepped on her toes, but there was something odd about how he danced. She was so relived that she forgot to be embarrassed by Charles's close proximity.
The afternoon fades into evening as the Mash unit dances the hours away. Slowly the club begins to empty as couples go for diner or to find a more private spot.
Hawkeye smiles down at the Captain who has almost fallen asleep on his shoulder, "Come on I have duty in post-op. I'll show you around."
The Captain turns to check on Tom and the Doctor at the bar, but they seemed to have disappeared along with B.J. She nods and they leave the bar still all wrapped up in each other's arms.
-----------------------
Tuvok was done for the day. He had decided that visiting the mess tent again was a bad idea so he heads back to his tent in hope of mediating. As he walks through the compound he sees the Captain walking with a guy's arms wrapped around her. He almost interrupts them to remind the Captain they would be leaving soon, but he knew she would listen and the lock her self in a tent for the rest of the mission. His friend could take care of herself. She needed a chance to be human.
-------------
Post-op only had a few patients in it. Most of them would be shipped on to Seoul or Tokyo in the morning. It would give him a chance to get to know the smart and beautiful lady he had found.
Hawkeye picks up the chart of a patient that Potter had said was running a temperature.
"What do you think? Just post surgery infection or is their something that we've missed?"
The Captain shrugs, "I really wouldn't know. I'm not a doctor."
Hawkeye looks up shocked, "You aren't? I just assumed you were because you in charge of a Mash unit."
"I suppose that would make sense."
He signals a nurse to come over, "Let me know if he gets any worse."
"Yes, sir"
Hawkeye guides the Captain to a desk in the corner, "So what's your story"
"I ran a portion of a base where the returning soldiers come through. Most just need a physical; others are still in bandages from being over here. I know the difference between a tongue depressor and a bandage."
"That's good. I was afraid you'd ticked off some general who sent you over here to get rid of you"
"Your not the first person to say that today."
"Welcome to the real army. It isn't all roses."
"Well thanks for the warning."
Hawkeye pulls the Captain down onto his lap, "Now, let's forget about the army."
"I don't think this is exactly the right place for that."
"Shsh, don't worry no one will notice," says Hawkeye as he begins to kiss her neck.
"I think I'd better go," the Captain says as she tries to detangle herself.
"Alright", says Hawkeye seriously, "I'll talk to you in the morning" He lean forward and kisses the Captain on the lips for the first time.
The Captain leaves a little dazed and wondering why she isn't outraged. She spots Tom and the Doctor on the other side of the compound and motions for them to come here. They say good-bye to B.J. and head over to the Captain.
"We need to have a meeting. Any suggestions as to where."
The Doctor responds, "Someone mentioned something about the supply closet being private."
"No," Tom says shaking his head, "Someone might the wrong idea."
They think for a moment until the Captain says, "The mess tent should be deserted. Does anyone know where Tuvok is?"
Tom nods, "I think I can find his tent. B.J. spent quite some time trying to make all the green tents look different to me."
The Captain nods and they head off in different directions in the dark.
-----------------
Charles and Margaret were still in the officers club. By now they were a little tipsy and exhausted from dancing.
"Why Charles I had no idea you could dance like that."
"My pleasure, Margaret," responds Charles with a smug look on his face.
"Maybe we could try that again sometime." The alcohol having completely removed her embarrassment around him."
"That would be splendid."
"I'd better go though. I have an early shift and I'm feeling a little dizzy."
"Well, then I'll walk you to your tent."
"That's very kind of you Charles," she starts to walk off and practically fall over. Charles grabs her arm to steady her and they walk out into the compound. Margaret had gotten a little giggly by now and spots Tuvok walking with Tom, "What's up with that man's ears."
"I don't know Margaret."
"Why don't we go asking him," she says while swaying back and forth.
"In the morning Margaret," Charles says and guides her off towards her tent.
"Yeah, in the morning. That sounds good," grabbing on to her door and then falling back onto Charles. He opens the door and manages to push her onto her bed, "Come tuck me in Charles."
"Margaret you've had more alcohol than I thought you did. It's nighty night time." He waves good-bye and hopes she'll be all right until morning. He also wonders how she started out tipsy, but was completely plastered by the time she was in her tent.
------------------
By this time the four Voyager crewmen were huddled in the corner of the deserted mess tent.
The Captain bringing the meeting onto task, "Has anyone discovered anything useful today?"
Tuvok begin, "The army is disorganized. I doubt if anyone checks on us that they'll find anything out of the ordinary if we aren't in their records."
"That's one thing in our favor."
Tom laughs, "I don't think anyone's going to notice us. This place is nuts. I just helped B.J. put saran wrap on the ladies latrines."
The Doctor remembering, "What did you say about the guy in the dress?"
"Oh yeah, there's some guy wandering around the camp dressed like a woman. He was spouting something about aliens, though, we may want to keep an eye on him."
"Alright, keep your eyes open and be careful, dismissed."
They each shuffle off in their different directions. The camp is all quiet except for the click of Klinger's heals as he stands the night watch. Everyone falls into their restless dreams of despair and horror. The moon rises to its fullest and then begins to sink again to leave way for the sun.
Author's note: This story ignores the relationship between Seven and Chakotay in the last episode of Voyager. Also, I began writing this before Homecoming and its sequel were published.
---------
Chakotay walks briskly down the corridor. Seven of Nine page puzzles him greatly. She had said, "You'll have to see it to believe it." As much as Seven had come to fit in with the crew that phrase was seriously out of place. Seven was always straightforward with her information.
"Okay Seven, What's the big mystery?" Chakotay asks as he enters the astrometrics lab.
"Voyager appears to have fallen through a funnel," Seven states quite seriously.
Chakotay looks up at the screen, "What?"
Seven continues, rotating the picture so it can be seen at various angles, "It is composed of energy, but we haven't been able to determine its source,"
"Or why its shaped like a kitchen item," Mr. Harren adds.
------------
Colonel Potter is holding the clipboard from one of the patient's beds in post-op. The patient has a fever so he tells the nurse to start him on penicillin. Potter is exhausted. Yesterday was a bad day and today wasn't much better. He really didn't want the trouble of four extra people in his camp, but the help was always welcome. Potter sits down in his chair and starts to play with his pencil. He hopes that they are finding their way around camp all right and are making friends. He had seen the looks on their faces when they had come into camp. It was obvious they thought the 4077th was nuts. The Colonel could only hope that they would give his people a chance to prove themselves.
-----------------
Charles wakes with a start realizing that he isn't trapped in a giant shower. He shakes the sleep from himself and stands up stretching. He puts on his robe, grabs a newspaper, and heads for the latrines.
Charles is almost there when he runs into Klinger. Charles sighs and wonders what he's in for this time. Klinger's head is covered in tin foil with little antennas sticking out.
Klinger runs into Charles yelling, "Hide me! They're after me."
Charles is very annoyed and makes the mistake of replying, "What are you talking about Klinger?"
"The aliens are after me. They made me put this hat on so I could hear them better," Klinger goes off mumbling in his invented language.
Charles continues on his way reminding himself to tell Potter about Klinger's newest act if he didn't know about it already. Those poor new people are in for the shock of their lives.
---------------
Tuvok was beginning to wonder how the human race survived this war. It seemed to be run by eighteen-year-old kids on the phone. The one he was helping had an odd ability to predict what you needed before you needed it. The people who came in and out of the office all day never even seemed to notice being handed objects before they asked for them. Tuvok hadn't been able to gather any information other than the local jargon. The forms he filled out and filed were for food and supplies, but nothing that Tuvok determined was useful. Corp. O'Reilly had not stopped for lunch and Tuvok wanted a discrete excuse to learn more of the lay out of the camp.
"Corporal is it not past time for the midday meal."
Radar looks up shocked, "You're actually asking to eat the food? What are you nuts? I thought I was the only one who ate it."
"I merely find nourishment necessary."
"There's nothing nourishing about it, but let's go."
----------------
Hawkeye liked these new people. They had a different air about them than most of the people he had met over here. He had watched them laughing and smiling at what everyone said. They seemed to promote a sense of family. He wondered what they had seen state side. They didn't look like people that had seen what war does first hand, but they had that look that life had dealt them something hard. Kathryn or Colonel, he wasn't quite sure how to think of her. She was part of the group, but seemed to let her command separate her from everyone else. Her companions never referred to her at all. He smiles at her curious as to whether there's more to her than meets the eye.
The Captain had noticed Hawkeye smiling at her and returns the smile. He was nice looking and kind, but was born in the wrong time. She was curious as to what he had been like before the war. She didn't want to know what caused him to down drinks and had created large worry on lines on his face. She takes a swallow of her drink and tries to hide her grimace. She never understood why anyone would want to drink real alcohol. It smelt terrible. She was beginning to feel guilty for enjoying herself while the rest of her crew was working so hard, but there wasn't anything she could do. The detectors Tuvok had installed were doing most of the work so all they could do was wait and hope the alarm hidden in her watch never went off.
It was late afternoon by now and everyone in camp was feeling the lull. They had wandered into the officers club just to have something to do. Someone had started a song on the jute box.
Margaret smiles and asks, "Which one of you guys wants to show off you dancing skills?"
Tom declines thinking of the wrath of B'Elanna. B.J. offers, but Margaret mumbles something about stepping on her feet. The Doctor volunteers to be her partner. Margaret looks a little hesitant, but decides why not. They head out onto the dance floor with the other couples. Hysterics follow as the Doctor tries to adapt to the time's dancing style.
The Captain gets up and takes a seat at the bar by Hawkeye.
"I never realized he could dance," says the Captain.
"You call that dancing," laughs Hawkeye, "I think Margaret's going to slug him if he doesn't knock her over first.
"Maybe I should go rescue him."
"Nay, where's the fun in that?" Hawkeye shrugs and flashes one of his big smiles at the Captain.
That song ends and someone punches a slow song in.
The Captain still laughing grabs Hawkeye's hand and drags him out onto the dance floor. Awkwardly they put their arms around each other to dance, but as the song goes on they relax and the Captain's head finds its way onto his shoulder.
Charles had come to the officer club for a cognac, but spots Margaret and the Doctor dancing together. This bothered him for some reason so he decides to cut in. Margaret is very relived to be dancing with someone else. The Doctor may not have stepped on her toes, but there was something odd about how he danced. She was so relived that she forgot to be embarrassed by Charles's close proximity.
The afternoon fades into evening as the Mash unit dances the hours away. Slowly the club begins to empty as couples go for diner or to find a more private spot.
Hawkeye smiles down at the Captain who has almost fallen asleep on his shoulder, "Come on I have duty in post-op. I'll show you around."
The Captain turns to check on Tom and the Doctor at the bar, but they seemed to have disappeared along with B.J. She nods and they leave the bar still all wrapped up in each other's arms.
-----------------------
Tuvok was done for the day. He had decided that visiting the mess tent again was a bad idea so he heads back to his tent in hope of mediating. As he walks through the compound he sees the Captain walking with a guy's arms wrapped around her. He almost interrupts them to remind the Captain they would be leaving soon, but he knew she would listen and the lock her self in a tent for the rest of the mission. His friend could take care of herself. She needed a chance to be human.
-------------
Post-op only had a few patients in it. Most of them would be shipped on to Seoul or Tokyo in the morning. It would give him a chance to get to know the smart and beautiful lady he had found.
Hawkeye picks up the chart of a patient that Potter had said was running a temperature.
"What do you think? Just post surgery infection or is their something that we've missed?"
The Captain shrugs, "I really wouldn't know. I'm not a doctor."
Hawkeye looks up shocked, "You aren't? I just assumed you were because you in charge of a Mash unit."
"I suppose that would make sense."
He signals a nurse to come over, "Let me know if he gets any worse."
"Yes, sir"
Hawkeye guides the Captain to a desk in the corner, "So what's your story"
"I ran a portion of a base where the returning soldiers come through. Most just need a physical; others are still in bandages from being over here. I know the difference between a tongue depressor and a bandage."
"That's good. I was afraid you'd ticked off some general who sent you over here to get rid of you"
"Your not the first person to say that today."
"Welcome to the real army. It isn't all roses."
"Well thanks for the warning."
Hawkeye pulls the Captain down onto his lap, "Now, let's forget about the army."
"I don't think this is exactly the right place for that."
"Shsh, don't worry no one will notice," says Hawkeye as he begins to kiss her neck.
"I think I'd better go," the Captain says as she tries to detangle herself.
"Alright", says Hawkeye seriously, "I'll talk to you in the morning" He lean forward and kisses the Captain on the lips for the first time.
The Captain leaves a little dazed and wondering why she isn't outraged. She spots Tom and the Doctor on the other side of the compound and motions for them to come here. They say good-bye to B.J. and head over to the Captain.
"We need to have a meeting. Any suggestions as to where."
The Doctor responds, "Someone mentioned something about the supply closet being private."
"No," Tom says shaking his head, "Someone might the wrong idea."
They think for a moment until the Captain says, "The mess tent should be deserted. Does anyone know where Tuvok is?"
Tom nods, "I think I can find his tent. B.J. spent quite some time trying to make all the green tents look different to me."
The Captain nods and they head off in different directions in the dark.
-----------------
Charles and Margaret were still in the officers club. By now they were a little tipsy and exhausted from dancing.
"Why Charles I had no idea you could dance like that."
"My pleasure, Margaret," responds Charles with a smug look on his face.
"Maybe we could try that again sometime." The alcohol having completely removed her embarrassment around him."
"That would be splendid."
"I'd better go though. I have an early shift and I'm feeling a little dizzy."
"Well, then I'll walk you to your tent."
"That's very kind of you Charles," she starts to walk off and practically fall over. Charles grabs her arm to steady her and they walk out into the compound. Margaret had gotten a little giggly by now and spots Tuvok walking with Tom, "What's up with that man's ears."
"I don't know Margaret."
"Why don't we go asking him," she says while swaying back and forth.
"In the morning Margaret," Charles says and guides her off towards her tent.
"Yeah, in the morning. That sounds good," grabbing on to her door and then falling back onto Charles. He opens the door and manages to push her onto her bed, "Come tuck me in Charles."
"Margaret you've had more alcohol than I thought you did. It's nighty night time." He waves good-bye and hopes she'll be all right until morning. He also wonders how she started out tipsy, but was completely plastered by the time she was in her tent.
------------------
By this time the four Voyager crewmen were huddled in the corner of the deserted mess tent.
The Captain bringing the meeting onto task, "Has anyone discovered anything useful today?"
Tuvok begin, "The army is disorganized. I doubt if anyone checks on us that they'll find anything out of the ordinary if we aren't in their records."
"That's one thing in our favor."
Tom laughs, "I don't think anyone's going to notice us. This place is nuts. I just helped B.J. put saran wrap on the ladies latrines."
The Doctor remembering, "What did you say about the guy in the dress?"
"Oh yeah, there's some guy wandering around the camp dressed like a woman. He was spouting something about aliens, though, we may want to keep an eye on him."
"Alright, keep your eyes open and be careful, dismissed."
They each shuffle off in their different directions. The camp is all quiet except for the click of Klinger's heals as he stands the night watch. Everyone falls into their restless dreams of despair and horror. The moon rises to its fullest and then begins to sink again to leave way for the sun.